Russian Ransomware Affiliate Charged With Attacks On Critical Infrastructure
Cyber Security Threat Summary:
The U.S Justice Department of The Treasury recently imposed sanctions on Mikhail Matveev, a Russian citizen, for his role in launching cyberattacks against U.S law enforcement, businesses, and critical infrastructure. Matveev is known for his affiliation with various Russia-linked ransomware variants such as Hive LockBit and Babuk. According to the Treasury, Matveev worked with the above mentioned ransomware groups to target healthcare and law enforcement organizations:
The Treasury is offering a reward of up to $10 million, for any information could lead to the arrest of conviction of Matveev.
Security Officer Comments:
U.S Justice Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) stated that Matveev has been very vocal about his illicit activities, providing insights to media interviews and disclosing exploit code to online criminals. Matveev says that his illicit activities will be tolerated by local authorities. Given the current war in Ukraine, Russia is a safe haven for cybercriminals like Matveev, as they are free to conduct cyber attacks against the United States and its allies.
"According to analysis conducted by Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), 75 percent of ransomware-related incidents reported between July and December 2021 were linked to Russia, its proxies, or persons acting on its behalf. Russia-linked ransomware variants such as Hive, LockBit, and Babuk, which Matveev helped to develop and deploy, have been responsible for millions of dollars in losses to victims in the United States and around the world,” stated the Treasury in a press release.
Link(s):
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/